The Curious Case of Hiccups, And How the Cigar World Tackles Them

Hiccups. Annoying. Persistent. Occasionally hilarious, but usually inconvenient. Whether you’re enjoying a fine cigar on your back porch or running a podcast, there’s nothing quite like an unexpected hiccup to throw off your rhythm.

But what are hiccups, anyway? Why do we have them? And most importantly, how can we get rid of them, especially in the middle of a cigar smoking session?

While the average person might turn to a glass of water or a spoonful of sugar, the cigar industry, from Estelí, Nicaragua to Miami’s Little Havana, has its own flavorful traditions when it comes to shutting down hiccups. In this post, we’ll explore the science behind hiccups, common remedies, and the unique solutions passed down through cigar factory lore.

What Are Hiccups, Anyway?

Hiccups, or singultus, to get all scientific, happen when your diaphragm contracts suddenly and involuntarily. This results in a rapid breath being cut off suddenly by your vocal cords shutting abruptly, making the distinctive “hic” sound.

They’re usually not harmful and may be brought on by anything:

Shoving in food or liquids too quickly

Abrupt changes in temperature (such as drinking hot coffee and then cold water)

Carbonated drinks

Emotional upset or excitement

Too much booze

Spicy food

Smoking, yes, even cigars

Hiccups usually don’t last longer than a few minutes, but in persistent or intractable hiccups, they can persist for days or even weeks, sometimes indicating more serious underlying medical issues.

The Usual Suspects: Standard Hiccup Fixes

Now, let’s discuss the standard ploys people use to cure hiccups before we delve into the cigar factory myth. While not all of them have scientific backing, some do have physiological merit:

1. Hold Your Breath

Accumulates CO₂ in the blood, which can calm the diaphragm.

2. Drink Cold Water Slowly

The sustained swallowing may resynchronize the vagus nerve.

3. Gargle Ice Water

Stimulates the throat and may interrupt the hiccup reflex.

4. Swallow a Spoonful of Sugar

The gritty sensation is thought to stimulate the vagus nerve, thereby calming the diaphragm once again.

5. Breathe Into a Paper Bag

Raises blood carbon dioxide levels, which can stop the spasms.

6. Upside-Down Drinking Water

It sounds crazy, but it reroutes muscle action and encourages focused breathing.

These are all beneficial, but every once in a while, you need something with a little personality.

Lighting Up Tradition: Hiccup Remedies from the Cigar World

Cigar culture is rich in tradition, history, and a hint of superstition. And so, when a hiccup occurs in the middle of a blending session or a tour of the factory, you don’t automatically see someone rushing for a glass of water. Instead, the remedies come from the fields, fermentation rooms, and coffee cups of the generations of cigar people who’ve lived cigars.

Let’s examine two of the most well-known “cigar industry hiccup cures.”

“El Trago de la Liga” – The Nicaraguan Tobacco Brew

In the Estelí, Nicaragua factories where legends A.J. Fernandez and Joya de Nicaragua do business, there is a rumor mill that’s as macho as the cigars they produce.

The Process:

Take a fresh piece of cigar tobacco, typically a strip of ligero or seco, that has been freshly rolled and is still moist.

Steep it in hot water like tea, for just long enough to pull the tannins and oils out into a cloudy, bitter liquid.

Swallow it in one quick gulp. Not a sip. A gulp.

It tastes? Terrible. It’s bitter and earthy, and likely will twist your entire face.

But that’s the idea.

The shock of the flavor, combined with the nicotine shock and instant stimulation of your throat and gut, typically short-circuits the hiccup reflex.

Does it work?

So report factory workers. Or as one roller encapsulated:

“Si no se te quita, te asustamos con un puro encendido.”

“If it doesn’t go away, we’ll scare you with a lit cigar.”

Now, medically speaking, you shouldn’t be consuming tobacco tea — your mouth and gut take in nicotine, and in excess, it’s poisonous. But as folklore? It’s cigar legend gold.

This cure, lovingly referred to as “El Trago de la Liga” (The Blend Shot), remains one of the more hard-gritting hiccup cures you’ll hear whispered in the halls of a Nicaraguan cigar plant.

Pepín García’s Cafecito Cure, A Cuban Classic with a Cigar Twist

In Miami, where Don Pepín García set up shop after leaving Cuba, another cure’s not quite so dangerous — and a whole lot more delicious.

When hiccups strike during the middle of rounds of blending at My Father Cigars, the go-to cure isn’t water or holding your breath.

It’s a sip of Cuban espresso. With a twist.

The Pepín Cafecito Cure

Pull a strong, syrupy Cuban-style espresso — the kind you can smell standing on the street.

Add a few drops of fresh lime juice to the cup.

Slurp it slowly, taking large breaths between drinks.

As you drink, press the palm of your hand against your upper abdomen, stimulating the solar plexus, to calm the diaphragm.

The Reasoning?

Pepín prefers sensory overload, providing your brain and stomach with something else to focus on.

“El cuerpo necesita distracción. La mente y el estómago deben pensar en otra cosa.”

“The body needs distraction. Your mind and your stomach need to focus on something else.”

It’s a mix of flavor, temperature, acidity, aroma, and mindful breathing. And just like his cigars, it’s all about the experience.

Even if it doesn’t cure your hiccups, you’re now caffeinated and centered. That’s a win.

Why Cigar Industry Remedies Work (Even If They Shouldn’t)

There isn’t a clinical trial for sucking on tobacco tea or lime-infused cafecito — but that doesn’t mean they’re absolute rubbish. Most of these remedies work on the same grounds as their traditional counterparts:

Sensory distraction: Surprising your nervous system (through taste, smell, or touch) redirects involuntary muscle patterns.

Activating the vagus nerve: The vagus nerve governs diaphragm movement, and most remedies try to “reset” it.

Rhythmic swallowing or breathing: Calms the body and disrupts spastic cycles, such as hiccups.

But what makes these cigar-culture remedies stick is not physiology only, it’s character. They have connected stories, typical humor, and the kind of passed-down philosophy that makes the world of cigars so unique.

Bonus: The Community Hiccup Cure

In one Jalapa factory, there’s a ritual that is more collective in nature: if one person gets hiccups, all the people in the room yell their name simultaneously.

The idea is to frighten the hiccups away with a sudden burst of bedlam, much like the old “BOO!” technique, but with 15 people.

And strangely enough? It sometimes works.

Final Thoughts: Hiccups Are a Human Experience, and So Are Cigars

Whether you’re a roller in Estelí, a blender in Miami, or just someone trying to enjoy a peaceful cigar on the porch, hiccups have a way of showing up at the most inconvenient times. But the solutions, from sugar spoons to cafecito shots, are all part of a bigger story.

In the universe of cigars, where every drag is a matter of slowing down, savoring the moment, and embracing ritual, even hiccups get meaning. They’re not an annoyance, they’re a chance to reconnect with tradition, to chuckle, and to try out a remedy that has been handed down from one generation to the next of tobacco men and women.

So next time you feel that little hiccy sensation creeping up, keep this in mind: you may reach for some water. Or… you may have a lesson from the land of cigars, pour yourself a strong cafecito, or, if you’re feeling bold, whip together a little trago de la liga.

Don’t tell your doctor, though.